COVID-19 pandemic puts a damper on Christmas again around the world
Around the world, people weary from nearly two years of lockdowns and other restrictions searched for ways to safely enjoy holiday rituals.
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From Bethlehem and Frankfurt to London and Boston, the surging coronavirus put a damper on Christmas Eve for a second year, forcing churches to cancel or scale back services and disrupting travel plans and family gatherings. AP
Drummers and bagpipers marched through Bethlehem to smaller than usual crowds after new Israeli travel restrictions meant to slow the highly contagious omicron variant kept international tourists away from the town where Jesus is said to have been born. AP
Around the world, people weary from nearly two years of lockdowns and other restrictions searched for ways to safely enjoy holiday rituals. AP
Holiday travel was dealt a blow when major airlines canceled hundreds of flights amid staffing shortages largely tied to omicron. AP
In Britain, where the coronavirus variant is ripping through the population, some houses of worship hoped to press on. AP
At St. Paul’s Old Ford, an Anglican church in East London, priests planned to hold services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. But to protect parishioners, the church called off its Nativity play. AP
Numerous churches in the U.S. canceled in-person services, including Washington National Cathedral in the nation’s capital and historic Old South Church in Boston. Others planned outdoor celebrations or a mix of online and in-person worship. AP
People gather around an illuminated Christmas decorations on Christmas Eve in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Dec. 24, 2021. AP
Parisians lined up at chocolate shops, farmers’ markets and testing centers. France has posted record numbers of daily COVID-19 infections, and hospitalizations have been rising, but the government has held off on imposing curfews or closings during the holidays. AP
Palestinian scout bands parade through Manger Square at the Church of the Nativity, traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, during Christmas celebrations, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem. The biblical town of Bethlehem is gearing up for its second straight Christmas Eve hit by the coronavirus with small crowds and gray, gloomy weather dampening celebrations Friday in the traditional birthplace of Jesus. AP